“This research collaboration has been amazing,” said Denise Eby Konan, dean of the College of Social Sciences. “We’ve been able to take the science but also the human aspect of disasters, elevate our understanding of that to new and higher levels.”

“The partnership that we’ve with the College of Social Sciences and now, of course, with Tohoku University is a really great example of the need to bring together the physical, natural and social sciences to solve these problems,” said Darren Lerner, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant director.

During the September 2016 forum on the Mānoa campus, UH and Tohoku shared the latest disaster science and brought leading national and international experts together. They focused on communicating disaster science and covered the latest research, risk reduction, community preparedness—including changes in the way Hawaiʻi prepares for natural disasters—and the human dimension in responding and recovering.